After holding a training camp in San Carlos City for a couple of weeks and playing friendly matches against the Azkals, the national football Under22 team, mostly composed of players and coaches from the Visayas, will leave for Thailand next week to start preparing for the June 23 to July 2 AFC U22 Qualifiers in Myanmar.

The team is led by San Carlos City's John Carmona as head coach with Don Bosco Technological Center's Glenn Ramos and Dave Gerali as assistant coaches, and Dan Palami as team manager.

They will be flying to Thailand for a series of friendlies ahead of their Group G matches in Myanmar.

In their friendly matches at home, the squad lost to the senior team or the Azkals, 3-0, but managed to beat national Suzuki U23 champion Ceres FC of Bacolod, 2-0. The team also had a series of friendlies with United Football League teams in Manila.

The way the team played in San Carlos and Bacolod, Azkals got a compliment from Azkals coach Michael Weiss who said the players are skilled and playing together as a team is a good approach in preparing for the AFC U22 qualifiers.

Members of the team are: team captain Paolo Pascual, John Carlos Ejara, goalkeepers Anthony Albao and Florencio Badelic, defenders Anthony Montero Tongson, Jimmy Malalo-an, Jacques Van Bossche, Ronald Batisla-ong, Allan Jose Serna, Raymark Kenneth Fernandez and Nino Ochotorena;

Midfielders Gabreil Borja, Alejandro Bald Jr., Angelo Marasigan, Aaron de Rama, Divino Regis, Christopher Pedimonte, Jeremy James Theuer, Shirmar Felongco, Michael Jeremy Mabanag, Jeffrey Christiaens and twins Marwin Janver and Marvin Janwer Angeles.

The strikers are David Fornea, Fitch Johnson Arboleda, Gerardo Valmayor III, Amani Manuel Aguinaldo and Jose Elmer Porteria.

The team will be in a tough grind as they will face powerhouse squads Korea, Vietnam and Malaysia in Group G. The other teams are Myanmar and Chinese Taipei.

The top two teams in the seven groups will advance to the final in 2013 along with the best third-ranked team.*with reports from PNA

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